A few years ago, the idea of setting healthy boundaries—felt like speaking a foreign language I’d never even heard. I used to believe if someone crossed a line, I’d swallow the discomfort, convince myself it wasn’t a big deal, and request them to stop, react to them, or let them keep going. The quiet needs of my innerchild went unnoticed, buried under layers of “be nice,” “don’t rock the boat,” and “they don’t mean it.” Then my conscious journey began. Slowly, like building a